Rubio: US Won’t Tolerate Adversaries Controlling Venezuela, Its Oil Reserves

The U.S. Secretary of State outlined the administration’s short-term plans for Venezuela after Maduro’s capture.
Rubio: US Won’t Tolerate Adversaries Controlling Venezuela, Its Oil Reserves
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a press conference as President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth listen at Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 3, 2026. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Emel Akan
Emel Akan
Reporter
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WASHINGTON—Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said that the United States will not tolerate a country in the Western Hemisphere becoming a hub for the activities of America’s global adversaries, such as China, Iran, and Russia.

“You can’t turn Venezuela into the operating hub for Iran, for Russia, for Hezbollah, for China, for the Cuban intelligence agents that control that country. That cannot continue,” Rubio said.
Emel Akan
Emel Akan
Reporter
Emel Akan is a senior White House correspondent for The Epoch Times, where she covers the policies of the Trump administration. Previously, she reported on the Biden administration and the first term of President Trump. Before her journalism career, she worked in investment banking at JPMorgan. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University.
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